It's a wrap...

Yesterday I finished my final shoot and have all of my final images. All I have to do now is find the lucky images that make the cut for the book, edit them, create my indesign document and send it off to be printed. Getting closer but still a way to go.

My two models worked fantastically together. It definitely helped that they have been friends for yeard and that Luke understands how to behave in front of a camera but I have been really lucky, they also both look great in the images. Exactly the look I was going for, young, naive, natural.

Although the images have worked out to be great, I would have really appreciated a team behind me. Having a photographer who can work a camera with ease allowing me more focus on directing the pictures would have been so much easier and more convenient. I am really happy with the styling for the female model, she looks gorgeous, the dresses fit like a glove, they suit her and suit the theme and style of the story, I feel the male models' styling is very poor and could have been a lot better, but it allows more emphasis on Adriana's character so I guess it will not look too bad or obvious.

Tutorial, planning shoots, writing stories...

After talking to my tutor about my overall final storyline, Jennifer told me not to worry so much about having narrative first. She recommended I go straight into shooting images I have imagined and love then the storyline will flow from that. This regained a huge amount of confidence for myself as I was starting to worry about accuracy and timings etc.

I went home and started to think of ideas, poses, places to take pictures I would love to create which worked a lot better, quicker and easier for me, and just as Jennifer said, the storyline wrote itself.

The final storyline came together incredibly quickly and I am so proud of myself for the words I wrote myself. I really fell in love with the tale and when I read it back I hope other feel as connected and touched as I do. Finger crossed my words are a success!

Once upon a problem...

I have been in contact with my three models, and it is worrying me when I am able to shoot my final images let alone test shoots to see how they work and look together as individuals. The three of them are incredibly busy at college with mock exams and homework, something I did not consider. I am going to be brave and leave my final shoots until the Easter holidays, I hate how late this is leaving it, but I do not want any other models. I am also worried as it is hard to predict the exact weather 1/2 months from now. 

On the bright side, it gives me lots of planning time and I have already decided to start writing up the storyline in which I have got many alterations in mind:

- 2 characters only, main girl and main boy

- to prevent confusion with Romanian storyline, young girl sent over from Romania to England when she was 5

- main girl adopted at 5 to wealthy family with a son of similar age, they grew up to be friends rather than siblings

- item received with inheritance at 18 is cursed causing her to act cruel

- main girl horrible to boy on several accounts

- both destroy tiara together

- girl destroys tiara but dies with it

Having only 2 models to organise will make shooting easier, costs will be cut and it will create a stronger possible romantic connection between the two throughout the storyline.

The hunt for book publishers...

After scrolling through the endless list of potential printers online and making phone calls, I got a train to Chandlers Ford and Eastleigh, to meet a couple of the printer companies I had come across. Although I am sure their work is fantastic, I had trouble communicating what product I was after and if they did understand, it was not available and could not be provided to me. I visited three to which all were a disappointment. This did knock my confidence in the idea of creating a book, and although it is early days, I am worried I won't find anyone. I am going to keep researching for local places around Uni and at home (Southampton and Reading) my fingers are crossed.